Rental Car Damaged Prior to Pickup

[JohnK]

A company was overcharging customers and gets a slap on the wrist?

Was this fraud committed by the company or an individual? Surely there should have been much harsher penalties involved. Perhaps even jail time? Or have I got it totally wrong?

 

[andye]

The other interesting aspect is what is expected to happen with people who claimed on their travel/CC insurance

 

[Cossie]

A company was overcharging customers and gets a slap on the wrist?

Was this fraud committed by the company or an individual? Surely there should have been much harsher penalties involved. Perhaps even jail time? Or have I got it totally wrong?

Welcome to the real world!

 

[UP4014]

A company was overcharging customers and gets a slap on the wrist?

Was this fraud committed by the company or an individual? Surely there should have been much harsher penalties involved. Perhaps even jail time? Or have I got it totally wrong?

Did you watch 4 Corners, can't get people and business to pay tax let alone act with morals.

 

[PineappleSkip]

"Customers affected by this error will be refunded where appropriate and necessary."

The last line sucks, shouldn't Hertz just say "customers affected by this error will be refunded !

'Error' sounds like Hertz being overgenerous to itself. 700 'errors' and the experiences of members suggests much more than an 'error' was involved,:evil:

Flying to SYD in a month. Decided against hiring a rental car at all, because of these anecdotes and my own similar experience (an excessively vigilant Europcar, tried it on twice for preexisting trivial damage. I hotly disputed both times and wrote 'no liability accepted - charge disputed' on their form. The most infuriating thing both times was the unnecessary delay and vague allegations you are some sort of criminal. Europcar, if you're reading, I don't and won't touch you with a bargepole any more.

Cheers skip

 

[brianmac55]

For a number of years now, I have always taken photos of the vehicle before driving from the parking lot and also upon return. Most people have cameras or phones with camera - set the time and date on the camera. It is even better when staff members are in sight. You should still do the paperwork but the photos are good insurance. If a vehicle hasn't been detailed correctly internally which may happen in peak hire periods, take a photo.

 

[sandpipers]

I've picked up Hertz cars from Cairns airport several times in recent months and they've put a sheet in the car outlining what they consider to be damage and what they consider to be wear and tear. Even so, when I returned one of the cars they showed me scratches on the wheels of the sort you might get if you run a car up hard against a gutter - which I hadn't done. When I told them I hadn't done it, they simply shrugged and said "you have maximum insurance so it doesn't matter anyway". I had a slightly unpleasant conversation with the people in the office about the assumption that it didn't matter to accuse a customer of something simply because they had taken out insurance... However, I have now become even more cautious about existing damage (even if it "doesn't matter"). What has happened to me, and also my husband, at Sydney airport though, is charges for fuel, even though the car was filled less than 2km from the airport. We have taken to getting a fuel receipt - the biggest problem is remembering to ask for one, given that receipts are no longer automatically issued - and taking photographs of it. On no less than four occasions, I have had to claim the charge back from Hertz. To their credit, they have issued the refund, reasonably promptly, in every case. I'd love to go elsewhere, but frankly, every other company we have tried has been even worse, with no car, dirty car, damaged car, or car with mechanical issues. Sigh.

 

[mtbsafari]

Hi guys,

This is one of my pet hates, and after many years fighting the system, my advice to all is just accept that it happens and if you are going to rent a car take every precaution. Don't rush at pick-up, try to see the vehicle in good light, raise even the smallest damage (including to the rims), take photos and even do your homework on who you rent from. In my experience, Europcar are the worst (especially in Melbourne). I haven't had any real problems with Hertz, Avis or Sixt - but maybe that's because I'm extra cautious these days.

Has anyone rented a car in Rome. That's a whole different world. I got a car there, it wasn't washed and it looked like it had been to the wreckers, damage everywhere. I went back to the rental desk to ask about it and they just shrugged. On return to Geneva, I was a little worried, but they just said "Oh, it's an Italian rental". I bet if it was a Swiss rental they would have had a heart attack.

My final say on this topic, about Europcar, (because they treated me so badly - disgruntled customer), on one occasion I returned a car a little late to Melbourne airport, but within the free buffer - I think it's 1 hour. They put the time on the return slip (which I kept), but I later received a bill for late return. They had added 30 minutes to the time. Now, this could have been innocent - for example, if they put the return time when the invoice was processed or the car returned to the rental yard - but I think it was more sinister. I made a complaint and they gave a credit, but just think if I was like most people and didn't check the charges on my credit card.

 

[truesouth]

SYD Hertz domestic - failure to remove all toll charges.
I had tolls in my Gold profile so asked in exit to remove tolls. They removed one day but got charged on return for 1 of the 2 days I rented for ($30) - I didn't notice on the receipt at time of return but noted it on the plane as I left.
I have submitted a claim but haven't heard back and it's now 3 weeks.

 

[jimg1111]

Yep, Nov last year, we did Europcar, out of Palermo! /& we knew this stuff in advance, so just copped the full insurance ... & after a week plus of driving a fair bit of Sicily, it was best re peace-of-mind, given what we encountered ... (/& the GPS, ours, was often useless, dangerous - locals just use phone google maps).

 

[prozac]

After reading reports on here by other AFFers about there experiences with pre-damaged rentals I am now cautious on the rare occasion I rent. I would say 700 incidences is probably conservative.

 

[cs1575]

I always take photos of the rental car before leaving the rental lot.. that usually helps...

 

[kh01]

I've had problems with both Hertz & Europcar.

I picked up a car at Tullamarine from Hertz in late 2013. When I returned it the next day to Tullamarine they identified a tiny stone chip in the windscreen. I had not noticed it due to other marks/bugs/smears on the windscreen. The Hertz person checking the car in was merciless! I know without a shadow of a doubt that no stone hit the windscreen during my hire period. They charged me $280.50. A little later I got some of this back from Hertz (I can't recall how much) but it was a pretty sour moment. I've been a Hertz Gold & President's Circle member for years but that meant nothing!

My experience with Europcar was earlier this year. I collected a small car from Sydney International Airport late one night to get home to suburban Sydney. I returned the car to another Europcar branch the following afternoon. Shortly after returning the car I received a call from the returning branch manager to say that they had discovered the spare tyre was flat and had been shredded. He let me know that when he phoned the Sydney Airport branch that they said to him that I must have damaged the tyre and they instructed him to lodge an incident report (the returning branch manager was genuinely apologetic and disgusted with the approach of the airport branch). I am a Privilege Club member with Europcar but at this stage no privileges were forthcoming.

When I collected the car at the airport I asked the Europcar desk agent if there would be an attendant in the car park in case I identified pre-existing damage. He said no-one would be out in the carpark but that wouldn’t be a problem as he said the car had no damage. I thoroughly checked the exterior of the car and from what I could see it was OK. No-one from Europcar came out to show me the car, nor to confirm that it was OK. No-one from Europcar showed me the spare tyre, nor has anyone from Europcar ever mentioned to me in the past that I must check the spare tyre. In fact I didn't even know where the spare tyre was kept in the car or even if it was a full spare or an emergency spare, as I had never seen it.

In the days that followed I received notification from Europcar that "An inspection of the Vehicle by our representative identified Damage caused during your recent rental" to which I wrote back to them to strenuously deny. And about 4 weeks after hiring the car I received an email back from Europcar to say that they had cancelled the damage claim and that "No damage charges will be made to you". So in this case I won the argument, but I certainly was not confident at the outset.

 

[farmboy]

It pays to be paranoid. I rented a car for two days from a well known name in New Mexico. The same company name in Australia is an entirely different entity so I won't mention its name.

My scam went like this. I rented the car for two days of local driving in Gallup NM. All of the 50 miles of driving was going to and from the big rodeo event there. I returned the car early on a Sunday morning, by dropping the keys in to the box.
A few days later I noticed a bill for over $400 on my card. When I asked what that was about, I was told that the speedo indicated I had driven 1000 miles. I had actually driven 50 miles. Much arguing ensued, but the clerk kept saying her boss was 'away'. Amex took my case and rejected the payment. Clearly, there was a mistake reading to odometer. But they would never admit to that and threatened prosecution. In the end I paid the $400 rather than get in to a protracted legal argument in another country. Lesson learnt, copy, take photos, do whatever you have to, but never trust a rental company to do the right thing. This was simple outright theft in my case.

 

[QF WP]

We were right!

Hertz to refund hundreds of customers it falsely accused of damaging rental cars.

But, they're still doing it!

Whilst I've never had trouble with returning a car (I've always photographed and only once advised them of damage not shown which was circled and signed by Hertz employee), I'm going to subscribe to this thread so I can trot out this story in case I get accused.

I'm picking up a Hertz car at CBR airport on Monday. Am I tempting fate??

(an excessively vigilant Europcar, tried it on twice for preexisting trivial damage. I hotly disputed both times and wrote 'no liability accepted - charge disputed' on their form.

Love it Skip ...whilst I'm hoping to never use that in the future

What has happened to me, and also my husband, at Sydney airport though, is charges for fuel, even though the car was filled less than 2km from the airport. We have taken to getting a fuel receipt - the biggest problem is remembering to ask for one, given that receipts are no longer automatically issued - and taking photographs of it. On no less than four occasions, I have had to claim the charge back from Hertz. To their credit, they have issued the refund, reasonably promptly, in every case. I'd love to go elsewhere, but frankly, every other company we have tried has been even worse, with no car, dirty car, damaged car, or car with mechanical issues. Sigh.

I always get two receipts from the petrol station when paying and leave one in the rental agreement, so I can show a time-stamped receipt (generally no more than 20 mins from dropping car) with address of petrol station as well. Cuts out any argument that they might have. the indicator generally being above the F on the guage also helps

My experience with Europcar was earlier this year. I collected a small car from Sydney International Airport late one night to get home to suburban Sydney. I returned the car to another Europcar branch the following afternoon. Shortly after returning the car I received a call from the returning branch manager to say that they had discovered the spare tyre was flat and had been shredded. He let me know that when he phoned the Sydney Airport branch that they said to him that I must have damaged the tyre and they instructed him to lodge an incident report (the returning branch manager was genuinely apologetic and disgusted with the approach of the airport branch). I am a Privilege Club member with Europcar but at this stage no privileges were forthcoming.

Now I'm going to check and photograph the spare - have never done that in 20+ years of hiring.

 

[coco50]

I am a Hertz No 1 Gold member and I have rented cars a number of times from SYD as well as other locations both here and overseas. I agree that the lighting at SYD is poor. Before I take a rental out I get the employee of Hertz to identify on the diagram on the rental sheet where all the dings are and then we walk around the car and identify them. I also look for dings in the doors, the front bumper and the rear bumper. I have never been scammed by Hertz yet!

 

[VPS]

The way I read the report is that Hertz is just making the refunds because they say it cost $500 to repair a windscreen but they can get it for $400 and they're having to refund the difference - I'm not sure it addresses the issues that many of us have discovered - several years ago picked up an AVIS car in France and dropped it off in Italy and yes there was damage but we had paid the insurance so there was no excess but AVIS said we hadn't and charged $1000 - it took several months before I got a friend to go back to the AVIS office in France and ask politely and sure enough it was all sorted in the end but no apology.

Another friend in London last year with Europcar (and not an experienced traveller) go to the airport and said we don't have any cars like you ordered left so you'll have to take one of these and it will be several hundred pounds extra - in the end he paid it but I would have just said no contract - you can't fulfil your part of the bargain

 

[PIN]

We had pre-booked a rental car for our NZ trip. There was a breakdown of organisation at the Thrifty station we picked it up last night (they had overrented their cars, so there was an average wait of 45 minutes while they tried to find replacements for those that had booked) and after almost an hour we were hurriedly given a different car.


The front desk staffer who handed us the keys said "it's been fully looked over and anything of concern is wear and tear", however the condition report handed to us has no mention of any damage to the car.


We've picked up the car and there are dents and scrapes on one side where it clearly was once hit by something, not to mention stains on the internal seats. I've taken time stamped photos but are there any other suggestions of how else we can best protect ourselves against being charged for damage that we didn't do? Having had mysterious unexplained charges from rental companies before, I'm a bit anxious that we could be charged an excess with no recourse.

Had similar problem with Hertz few years ago in Vienna. Finished with the Hertz austria mamagement and ghot refund for "damage"charged.

 

[Walloper]

My attempted "sting" was at PER. I had photographed the rental car from all angles including the interior and mileage at pickup (no staff present - key handover at the terminal desk - yes, some time ago before yard collection). Nothing to add to the hard copy damage report with the contract. Drop off at PER I did the same set of photos - again no attendant in the car park. Took the keys in and asked the counter staff to inspect the car with me - they declined. I wrote on the return form/charge sheet something similar to "no damage, no staff inspection, photos in possession".

Some MONTHS later there was a new charge from the rental company on the corporate cc. Accounts department queried the charge with me so I called the rental company's national headquarters and spoke to an unidentified "manager". I advised the manager of the evidence that I had proving that their charge was spurious and that I would be reporting the additional charge to the police as a fraud and that I wouldn't waste additional time disputing the charge (I did but they didn't need to know) and that I expected the fraudulent charge to be reversed that day.

A copy of the cc charge reversal was faxed (it was a long time ago!) to me that day.

I remain convinced that the rental company's fear of a police investigation trumped their fear of a disputed cc charge.

Either way it was simply a scam - sort of like the old insurance claim "deny until the client complains!" - try it on until the client catches us out!

It it took me an hour out of my day to fix up - which I thought was pretty quick at the time.

I've used the rental company since and always tell the agent at pickup about my previous experience with the company - seems to have inoculated me against further attempts to scam me! I'm too cynical to think that they don't do it anymore!

At the end of the day pickup and return photos and notations on return forms (particularly regarding the staff failure to inspect the vehicle with you) are an essential part of the rental car process.

 

[baggiezpt]

I am a Hertz No 1 Gold member and I have rented cars a number of times from SYD as well as other locations both here and overseas. I agree that the lighting at SYD is poor. Before I take a rental out I get the employee of Hertz to identify on the diagram on the rental sheet where all the dings are and then we walk around the car and identify them. I also look for dings in the doors, the front bumper and the rear bumper. I have never been scammed by Hertz yet!

Not that I hire cars very often but when I do I make sure the staff notice how diligent I am in having them note every mark on the car. Let them see you taking photos too as I'm sure it helps.

It just might discourage any funny business later. Such a pity we have to be on guard all the time isn't it. Integrity anyone?